How Much Fuel Do Private Jets Burn Per Hour?

When it comes to flying by private jet, one of the largest costs is the fuel. Therefore, it is important to consider each aircrafts hourly fuel burn.

At today's estimated FBO price of $7.80 a gallon for Jet A, the hourly cost of fuel for a private jet runs from about $429 for the thriftiest jet to about $4,883 for the thirstiest converted airliner. Of course, the larger the aircraft the greater the burn. Every cost on this page uses today's price (jet fuel price today).

The cost to fuel a private jet works in averages for each jet size. Below are the figures for specific aircraft.

Hourly Fuel Burn for Every Private Jet

The table lists the average hourly fuel burn of every model in our ownership-cost data, grouped by size, from the Embraer Lineage 1000E, a converted airliner, down to the thriftiest jet, the Eclipse 550. Where Conklin & de Decker publish an average for a model, that is the figure shown; the rest are the figures from each model's ownership-cost page. The fuel cost beside each one is at today's estimated FBO price, so it moves with the price of Jet A.

An average burn counts the whole flight: start, taxi, take-off and climb as well as cruise. That is why it runs higher than the cruise fuel flow a manufacturer quotes for one altitude and weight.

Average burn per flight hour: Conklin & de Decker's published average where there is one, otherwise the figure on the model's ownership-cost page (6.7 lb a gallon of Jet A). Fuel cost at $7.80 a gallon, our estimate of today's U.S. average FBO price (October 27, 2026). Work out any model and trip length in the fuel burn calculator.

Large Jet Hourly Fuel Burn

The Embraer Lineage 1000E burns the most of the large jets, 626 gallons an hour: about $4,883 an hour in fuel at $7.80 a gallon. At the other end, the Dassault Falcon 2000DX averages 244 gallons an hour, about $1,903.

Most of the class sits near 330 gallons an hour. The Challenger 650 averages 329 gallons and the Legacy 650 380, both by Conklin & de Decker's published averages.

Ultra-Long-Range Jet Hourly Fuel Burn

The ultra-long-range jets burn the most per hour and fly the longest legs. The Bombardier Global 6000 averages 512 gallons an hour (about $3,994) and the Global 5000 506. The Dassault Falcon 8X, a three-engine design, burns the least of the class at 347 gallons, about $2,707; the Falcon 7X averages 385.

Newer designs have closed the gap: the Gulfstream G700 averages 382 gallons an hour against 498 for the G650.

Super-Midsize Jet Hourly Fuel Burn

Among super-midsize jets, the Cessna Citation X+ burns the most, 400 gallons an hour, the price of its speed. The Dassault Falcon 50-40 burns the least at 229. The Challenger 350, the jet we fly, averages 297 gallons an hour, and the Citation Longitude 316.

Midsize Jet Hourly Fuel Burn

The midsize jet that burns the most per hour is the Cessna Citation Latitude, at 315 gallons an hour: about $2,457 at today's price. The Hawker 800XP, a mid-1990s design, averages 291. The Gulfstream G100 burns the least of the class, 186 gallons, about $1,451.

Light Jet Hourly Fuel Burn

Light jets span a narrower range. The Learjet 35A, from the 1970s, burns the most at 229 gallons an hour; the Beechcraft Premier I the least at 138, about $1,076 an hour.

The Pilatus PC-24, Pilatus's first jet and one that can land on grass and dirt runways, averages 191 gallons an hour, and the Embraer Phenom 300 183.

Very Light Jet Hourly Fuel Burn

And finally, the smallest jets on the market, the very light jets. There is a considerable difference in size within the class.

At the larger end is the Cessna Citation M2, which carries up to 6 passengers and cruises at 404 knots at 41,000 feet. It burns 134 gallons an hour, about $1,045 at $7.80 a gallon.

At the smallest end is the Cirrus Vision Jet: one engine, no toilet, and seats for up to five, though it will most likely carry two. It burns 81 gallons an hour, about $632.

What a Trip Burns

Fuel for a trip is the hourly burn times the hours flown. A light jet on a 2-hour flight burns roughly 375 gallons; a large jet on the same trip, about 660. The fuel burn calculator works it out for any model and trip length, the emissions calculator turns it into CO2, and the cost by flight time page shows what the whole flight costs by jet size. For a specific trip, start from your city: Las Vegas, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Houston or every city we price.

Variables Affecting Fuel Burn

Please note that the figures presented above are the average volume of fuel that these aircraft burn per hour. Many factors can and do affect the amount of fuel that a private jet burns.

The following factors will all impact the fuel efficiency of aircraft:

• Speed and altitude
  • The greater the altitude, the greater the fuel efficiency of a jet engine.
• Weather conditions
  • Flying into a headwind will burn more fuel
  • Flying with a tailwind will reduce the aircraft’s consumption of fuel.
• Take-off and landing
  • Take-off is the most fuel-intensive part of the flight. Therefore, shorter flights burn proportionately more fuel.
• Rates of climb and drag
• Weight of the Aircraft
  • Number of passengers and the amount of cargo on board will affect the burn figures. More weight equals increased fuel consumption.
  • The longer the flight, the more fuel required, therefore, the greater the weight.

Summary

So, in conclusion, private jets will burn anywhere from 55 gallons of fuel per hour, all the way up to 626 gallons per hour: about $429 to $4,883 an hour at today's estimated FBO price of $7.80 a gallon. To work out any model for any number of hours, use the fuel burn calculator.

Of course, keep in mind that these figures are based on the average fuel consumption. Therefore, if you were to look at the burn during take-off and climbing, these figures would be much larger.

If you are interested to see whether private jets have become more fuel efficient over the past 50 years, then check out this article.

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